Page 23 of Laird of Wrath

“Callum, I daenae think this is a good idea,” Hudson said, shaking his head. “An attack now could decimate us. We are already weak after the war, and ye want to drag us into another?”

“What choice is there?” Reggie argued. “We cannae simply wait here for him to strike. We must strike first.”

Callum was quite surprised by his advice, as the man was cautious more often than not. And yet this time he was telling him to start another war, to bring the fight to Laird Barclay.

But would he truly be starting it?

No, Laird Barclay was the one who had started it by stealing crops just because he was a petulant man-child who couldn’t handle not getting what he wanted.

Callum wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“I still think this is a bad idea,” Hudson insisted. “Callum, how are we supposed to attack Clan Barclay when we have neither enough men nor gold? How are we supposed to do anythin’ in the state we’re in right now? Nay matter what ye do, we will lose this fight.”

“Nay,” Callum said, shaking his head. “Nay, we cannae afford to lose. We cannae afford anythin’ but absolute victory.”

“Then we wait,” Hudson advised. “We wait until we have the men and the gold.”

“And when will that be?’ Callum scoffed. “Five years? Ten? Do ye think we’ll still be here if Barclay decides to attack us then?”

Hudson didn’t seem to have anything to say to that, but even if he did, Callum wouldn’t listen to him. He had already made up his mind. The only thing that mattered to him now was protecting his clan. He had come too far. He had tried too hard to let everything go to waste. These people—hispeople—had been through enough strife and hardship.

“It is settled, then,” he declared. “Gather the council. We must speak about this at once.”

He stood, but Hudson was quick to put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Where are ye goin’?”

“To see Sienna,” Callum said. “Deal with the farmers. Give them grain and coin. Make sure they have enough to survive.”

With that, he left the Great Hall.

Once again, the crowd parted for him, but this time they weren’t looking at him with blatant fear or disgust.

It’s the small victories.

He soon found himself outside Sienna’s chambers and knocked on her door. She called him inside, sounding as if she knew something was wrong.

“What now?” she asked, her face turning pale.

Callum almost didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth, but how could he lie to her? The entire point of his visit was to tell her exactly what was on his mind. And yet, seeing her so concerned, so fearful, gave him pause.

“The farmers’ crops have been stolen,” he revealed, deciding it was best to simply tell her the truth without trying to soften it.

Sienna was a grown woman now, even if he still thought of her as a little girl. She could handle the truth. She had handled worse.

“Stolen?” she asked, a frown creasing her brow. “By whom?”

“Nothin' confirmed, but I’m sure it was Barclay.”

“Laird Barclay?” Her frown deepened, before rage took over her expression. “That weasel! He thinks he can do such a thing simply because I rejected him?”

“Aye, I suppose he does,” Callum said. “But this has nothin' to do with ye, Sienna. I’m nae here to tell ye to wed him.”

Sienna let out a soft chuckle. “I never thought ye’d say such a thing,” she assured him. “But Callum, if we’re in danger… if our people are in danger…”

“I’ll deal with it, I promise. Daenae fash.”

“Deal with it? How?”

“We’ll attack first,” Callum explained. “I… I have yet to speak to the council about this, so it’s nae finalized yet. But I cannae think of anythin’ else we can do.”